Until recently, I carried inside of me a deep, dark secret that I wasn’t willing to share with anyone. As time inevitably passed and the secret became too difficult to hide, I told my boyfriend. Then I confided in a couple of select friends. I even started broaching the matter at work – subtly at first, and then with more conviction. And now, at last, I am finally willing to tell the world. I, Sarah Heyward, watch Whitney.

Please consider the facts without judgment or derision. I didn’t ask for this to happen to me, but I can’t say I’m unhappy about it. After all, how can I object to something that gives me so much pleasure? Let’s review the facts.

Whitney has improved a TON since the first episode. The world needs to acknowledge that. I think a lot of people watched the pilot and quickly dismissed the show as old-fashioned at best and misogynistic at worst. But for those of us who bravely marched forward, something changed. The characters developed. The relationships became more nuanced. The jokes started to feel fresher – less reliant on the pseudo-shock-value of the word “vagina” and more attuned to the quirks of the individual characters. I feel totally comfortable stating that every episode has been better than the one before it.

Whitney as a character is hilarious. I love her. Yes, the ad campaign leading up to the series premiere was unfortunate, and yes, she’s loud and I guess occasionally obnoxious, but once you get to know her you realize it’s only in the most charming way. She is a total oddball weirdo who has strong female friendships and can hang with the guys, speaks her mind, knows what she wants, and is never too cool to admit she has hurt feelings. Yes, there are actual feelings on this show, and watching it stimulates actual feelings in me, too. Plus, as an actress, Whitney Cummings has impeccable comic timing and a super-appealing gawky screen presence that’s simply fun to watch.

The dynamic between the characters of Whitney and her boyfriend Alex creates one of the most enjoyable couplings currently on TV. They are AWESOME together. I’d even go so far as to say that their chemistry is crackling. They genuinely seem to love each other, and that is the ever-present undercurrent that allows them to bicker and fight and negotiate without ever making you want to scream at the TV, “Enough’s enough!” I almost always can understand both sides of their arguments, and it’s rarely in the annoying sitcom-y misunderstanding type of way, nor do they rely on the Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus tropes for which Whitney gets so much undeserved flack. Also, Whitney and Alex actually communicate with each other and, shocker, tell each other how they are feeling. A lot. That’s pretty rare on a sitcom, wouldn’t you say?

Along those lines, Alex himself is a huge draw for me. He is simply one of the more realistic male characters on television. With different casting, the show might not work as well, but the actor who plays Alex (Chris D’Elia) has created an authentic, multidimensional character who quite frankly reminds me of guys I know and hang out with. Possibly my own boyfriend in particular. But let’s not digress. The point is that Alex is neither a “perfect” boyfriend nor a cliched sexist husband-type who expects Whitney to clean up after him. He’s just a real-seeming guy who can be sensitive and can also be totally insensitive – which should sound familiar to anyone who’s spent time with a member of the male sex. He’s also cool and funny and his genuine affection for Whitney shines through, so even when he’s kind of being a dick, you never ever doubt why she’s with him.

I like the premise. There is something interesting to me about a couple of marriageable age who have been together for years but are choosing not to marry. I don’t care if there’s nothing scandalous about two unmarried people living together – that is not the point of the show. Rather, the conflict comes from this choice they are making that, like it or not, goes against what society (and most of their relatives) expect of them. The problems that arise feel real to me as a result, and I am genuinely interested in why their relationship works the way it does and how marriage might (or might not) disrupt that balance.

The side characters are growing on me. Probably the last remaining roadblock in my journey toward Whitney fandom, the friend group irritated me at first. But now I’ve come to appreciate each of them. What began as a posse of one-dimensional characters (the sex-obsessed bachelor friend, the drunken party girl) is now a group of fleshed-out people with complicated back stories and relationships to each other. I really like hanging out with them, even if the Whitney/Alex scenes will always be my favorites.

The show makes me laugh. And you know what, it might make you laugh too. Forget about how it’s, like, soooooooo weeeeeeird to have a laugh track (seriously, WHO CARES) and just let yourself enjoy. Whether Whitney is making Alex fill out an insurance form as part of their sexy-nurse role play or abandoning him with an armed mugger, she’s a hilarious character and the jokes land more often than not. I promise.

In truth, what also helped me overcome any reservations I had about this show was thinking of it as a soothing sitcom from a bygone television era. What if it were 1995 and Whitney were sandwiched between Friends and Seinfeld on Must See TV? When you think about it that way, it’s sort of like a junior Mad About You. Sure, I love 30 Rock and Modern Family and I’m completely excited for this newish wave of single-camera semi-experimental television, but at the end of the night there’s something deeply relaxing about Whitney‘s (yes, familiar) format combined with fresh, funny comedy.

At the very least, don’t judge me for watching. And if you do decide to give Whitney a chance and find yourself smiling despite yourself, call me. The fan club is always looking for new members.

Sarah Heyward has been writing stories forever and screenplays for the past few years. She got her MFA in fiction from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and currently writes for the HBO series Girls. If you want hourly updates on her Lisa Frank sticker collection or love of Cocoa Pebbles, check Sarah out on Twitter or Tumblr, or learn more about her here.

I love Whitney too! Her relationship with Alex is sweet and easy to relate to. I think her blonde friend is hilarious. I’ve been a fan of Whitneys since she won funniest hot chick on Howard (Now that’s a show I’m ashamed to admit to have listened to!)

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=55200944 Carrie Kelley

My parents call Whitney the “Reminds us of Carrie (me) and Doug (my boyfriend) Show.” I guess that tells you how relatable the show is to real life, because my life is nothing like any other sitcom out there. The characters are normal, deal with normal human problems and resolve them in a very human way. Thank you for writing in support of this!

P.S. I saw Chris D’Elia do stand up at the Laugh Factory a couple weeks ago and couldn’t resist telling him how much I loved the show – he was a doll! =)

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1259523582 Shalma Movassaghi

My family and I call The King of Queens “Doug and Carrie” for short

http://www.facebook.com/miss.keri.berry Keri Sedor

Ha! I had read a scathing editorial in EW about Whitney months ago and since then, I too had been concealing a secret like yours. But not anymore. It’s because of your strength and courage in revealing to the world that I feel I can too! I love Whitney. Thanks for sharing.

http://www.facebook.com/brandimford Brandi M Ford

I love Whitney! And, I didn’t realize that they use a laugh track – they’re filmed in front of a live studio audience (or so they tell us at the beginning).
Alex is also a major draw for me. I can’t imagine another actor in that role. The scene where he’s drunk and wants to put his hand under her shirt – pure genius!

http://www.facebook.com/samantha.garrant Samantha Garrant

I love Whitney! I’ve been a fan since the beginning, but you can’t expect so much from shows, most of them are unoriginal, so it’s nice to see what that isn’t!

http://www.facebook.com/erin.iacavone Erin Iacavone

I kept seeing all these negative reviews and I didn’t get it. This show has cracked me up from the start. I absolutely love the relationship between her and Alex. It’s seems real and healthy and fun.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=5215815 Sara Cristina

Agreed! I loved Whitney’s stand up and was totally stoked for the show and slightly disappointed in the pilot and first few episodes. BUT they have totally picked up their game, even my thirty something hubby likes it!

http://www.facebook.com/sarah.niederstadt Sarah Niederstadt

I love Whitney! The situations she gets into are hysterical! I love how they deal with real situations and turn them into something worth watching.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=114000114 Beth Hannah

I really like Whitney! I agree that is started out kind of slow and not funny, but I have stuck around, and really do love it. It took something marginal, and made it really quite funny.

HelloGiggles is a positive online community for women (although men are always welcome!) covering DIY and crafting projects, beauty, friendship, sex & relationships, pop culture, pets, television & movies, nostalgia, fandom, tips on savvy and stylish living meant to inspire a smile. Founded by Zooey Deschanel, Molly McAleer and Sophia Rossi. Reader contributions are welcome and published daily.